Naruto: The Long Road
by ChipX2
Summary: Naruto has to grow up fast and get strong if he wants to protect the ones he loves from the dangers of Shinobi life. What will he do if he cant? how will this change one Uzmaki Naruto? Not a fan of Sakura, she will be hated on. [Naru/Ino] [Shika/Hina]
1. Chapter 1

**A/N** First story and I have no Idea what I am doing but I would like to at some point in time! I am a fan of Naruto and that is what I will mainly be focusing on in most of my stories but wouldn't mind venturing off into other things like Undertail and Soul Eater. Anyway enjoy my first story and please tell me anything I can do to make my work better in the form of reviews or a PM. Thanks for reading!

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own Naruto or any of its** **characters!**

 **Chapter 1: Burning Pain**

 **October 10, 6 years after the kyuubi attack.**

Today was a day of remorse and celebration for those who lost their lives protecting the village hidden in the leaves from the nine tailed beast know to all as the kyuubi no kitsune. This is also the day one Uzumaki Naruto was brought into this world. Even though this was the day of his birth and a festival would take place in mere hours there would be no celebrating for this blonde boy. Today he would hide himself away in his lonely apartment building to try and stay as far away from the villagers as possible. Even with the multiple deadbolts, chains and pad locks on his door they never stopped them from displaying there hate for the young boy in the past. Today would be no different than any of the others but they may have gone to far on this night.

 **1:38** **AM October 11** **, outside of Naruto's apartment**

A very angry and _very_ drunk group of about 20 Civilian men have gathered outside of the blondes apartment after the festival with torches drawn to display there hate for the boy that lives inside. What appeared to be the leader of this little gathering stepped forward to address the boy.

"Come on out demon! We know you're in there hiding like a coward!"

The man shouted with spit spraying out of his mouths. When there were no replies or any sign of the "demon" coming out he started to walk toward the apartment complex with a red jug and a torch in hand. Many others had the same items and they all began to dump the contents of the red jugs all around the building and under the door of the blonds apartment. They all vacated the area and threw their torches at the gasoline covered building to set it ablaze.

 **2:13** **Inside the Apartment**

Naruto knew what they where doing, he could smell the gasoline. Now with no way out of the apartment without running through the front door with all 20 other people outside, that clearly wanted him dead, he began to panic. The apartment was already on fire and spreading under the door. He was running out of time. He had only thought of two ways of escape at this point. Through the door to pain and death, or out the window of a second story building on to concrete. Witch lead to slightly less pain and maybe death. With theses thoughts flowing in Naruto's head the choice was clear as he prepared himself to jump. The fire over took the spot where Naruto was standing just has he dove head fist out of his bedroom window. The world around him seemed to slow to a crawl as he watch the hard parking lot grow near. When he finally felt his head meet said parking lot everything went dark as the world faded away from his view.

 **The Next Day in the** **Village** **Hospital**

Naruto woke up to a splitting head ache has his eyes met the bright white lights and walls of the hospital room. He could here an old man and a female nurse talking by the window on the far side of the room. He could here the nurse giving a brief description of what his injuries consisted of.

"He has suffered a major concussion and a few broken bones in his arm and shoulder from the fall but he will be back to full health in no time with proper care and rest Hokage-sama."

"thank you. You may go now."

The wise old man practically whispered trying to keep his cool over last nights incident. Naruto didn't want to talk to the Hokage about what had happened but he knew he could not avoid it forever so he sat up and decided to talk with him now instead of later about the subject.

"Hokage-jiji..." Naruto spoke with a choked voice because of all the smoke. The Hokage turned his head towards the frail boy in the bed from looking out the window to the hospital court yard.

"Hello Naruto-kun, how are you feeling?"

The Hokage spoke smooth and calm even though he was furious on the inside for what had happened to his surrogate grandson.

"I feel Fine."

As he said this he tried to move his body toward the third Hokage and winced at the pain shooting up his arm. Tears threatened to escape this young boys squinting bright blue eyes as he tried to keep the pain from his arm and his emotions under control. The Hokage visibly flinched has he saw this boys expression show pure pain and suffering deep within his soul. The Hokage could feel his heart break watching this boy struggle with pain, and confusion etched across his face. He could take no more of this. He sighed with relief when he saw the Naruto fall unconscious once again. The third decided then and there he will be raising hell for what those men had done to this defenseless boy And none of them would go unpunished. The Hokage called for one of his Anbu and an instant later an Anbu appeared in front of him on one knee waiting for his orders. The Anbu wore a simple Anbu uniform with a bear mask.

"Bring me Inoichi Yamanaka."

The Hokage spat between clenched teeth, still enraged about last nights unfortunate turn of events. The bear masked Anbu only nodded as a response to the request and disappeared in a swirl of leaves only to return a few minutes later with the head of the Yamanaka clan.

"What do you require of me Hokage-sama?" Inoichi noticed the Third Hokage's grave expression and turned to see what he was staring at. When his eyes met the blond boy in the bed he could have sworn he felt his heart sink to his stomach as he took in the battered and bruised form of Naruto. His head snapped back to the leader of Konohagakure and before he udder a single word the Hokage answered his question before he could even ask.

"It was last night. According to my reports a group of civilians went to his apartment building and set it ablaze. Naruto was found outside in the parking lot under is bedroom window. We think he jumped."

"Those damned villagers! How could they do this!"

The usually stoic and composed Inoichi struggled to keep his voice down to not wake up the sleep blonde in the bed next to them.

"That is why I have called you here today Inoichi-san."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to you to go in to his mind and replace all of his memories from the previous night with good memories nothing to out of the blue just something to fill the void with even if its just him in his apartment."

"then I want you to put him somewhere else that's not his apartment so we can explain to him why his home burned to the ground and he didn't burn with it."

"understood."

With those commands the Yamanaka head took a seat next to the blonde haired boy and went to work. After about 45 minutes Inoichi was done altering the boys memories.

"all done sure. I changed the memories of last night to him going to the training fields after he couldn't get to sleep. So he broke his arm wile training."

"Very good Inoichi-san and thank you again you are dismissed."

Inoichi bowed his head to the third Hokage and went to leave but before he walked out of the door he turned to look and the Blonde boy one more time.

"I may be able to change his memories but I cant help his broken heart but I think I know someone who can."

 **A/** **N**

Thank you so very much for reading my first ever chapter for my first ever story! Make sure to leave a review! They help me want to keep writing and that good stuff so yeah! For all of those who leave a review will get 1 million dollars! No scam! C; 


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N**

Sorry for the wait! Grand parents are in town I and wasn't home very often and when I was I was to tired to even think about writing anything worth reading. Any enough excuses. If you haven't gone and re-read my last chapter I did update it and added a little bit to the end so go read that then come back. If you don't you wont under stand what is happening. Remember to review writers eat that shit up!

 **Disclaimer:** **I do not own Naruto or any of its characters!**

 **Chapter 2:Good Night Ino**

 **October 13: outside the Yamanaka compound.**

"Daddy where are we going"

The young Yamanaka heiress asked.

"Do you not remember princess? We are going to meet Naruto at the playground."

"Ow yeah, that boy that was in the hospital right?"

Inoichi stopped mid step to look at his daughter with puzzled eyes.

"How did you know Naruto was in the hospital?"

"Shika told me about it. He said he herd His dad and Akimichi-Sama talking about his house being set on fire."

Inoichi thought it best to tell Ino about Naruto now so she didn't ask about the fire and possibly jog his memories of the fire.

"Princess this is a little hard to say but I think you should now this before hand. Naruto doesn't have a family. He lives alone and doesn't have any friends that's why I wanted to introduce you two so he could maybe make a friend. As for how his house was burned down, it was a simple mistake. He left the stove top on after boiling some water."

Inoichi took a quick look at his daughter only to see her staring at the ground. He decided now would be the best time to tell her not to bring this stuff up around Naruto.

"Now Ino, I know you must have a lot of questions about Naruto but I need you to refrain from asking him so we don't hurt his feelings. Okay princess?"

"Okay Daddy."

The rest of the way to the play ground was spent in silence with both Yamanaka's wondering if this play date would sink or swim.

 **15 minutes Earlier with Naruto.**

Naruto was sitting on a lone swing sitting by the edge of the clearing that was the playground.

Naruto was beginning to get worried that he was being stood up or tricked. He never came to the play ground because seeing all of the other kids play with there moms and dads only made him feels worse and none of the kids would play with him anyway.

Naruto found it very hard to believe that a member of a proud and strong clan, let alone the head of said clan, would let there daughter play with him. What was even more astonishing to the young blonde was the fact that they set it up! But the strange part was that the Hokage relaid the message and Naruto never met this Inoichi Yamanaka or his daughter.

All of this sounded very fishy to Naruto and just as he was about to get up to leave a platinum blonde girl that looked to be about his age walked up to him. She was wearing a yellow sun dress with purple flip flops.

"Hello are you Uzumaki Naruto?"

Naruto was shocked by this. This girl that he had never met just walked up to him and said hello and to top it all off she did it with a smile.

"uh..y-yes I'm Naruto. W-who are you?"

"I'm Yamanaka Ino, but you can just call me Ino! Its nice to meet you."

"uh yeah… u too."

Naruto was more than a bit skeptical about this whole thing until he scanned the rest of the playground to see Inoichi waving his way. The Hokage had shown him a picture of the Yamanaka clan head so he could identify him.

"Do you want to play with me?"

Now Naruto's mind was officially blown! He looked around to see if anybody else was around before he responded. He didn't see anyone but he thought he would ask to make sure.

"A-Are you still talking to me?

"Yes silly who else would I be talking to?"

"well I don't know. Its just that nobody has ever played with me before let alone asked to play with me."

Ino was shocked to here this.

'Has he really never played with anyone ever? Well not any more I'm just going to have to change that.'

"Come on Naruto lets play tag!"

"whats that?"

Ino almost fell as she went to walk away to go get ready to play and turned around with a sweat drop on here forehead. Ino could tell this would be an interesting day to say the least.

From where Inoichi was sitting he could just make out what they where saying and he couldn't help but chuckle a little at the to, soon to be, best friends.

 **A few hours later.**

Ino and Naruto where in the middle of playing Ninja when they heard Inoichi.

"Ino! Come on princess its time to go!"

Naruto's heart sank like a brick when he heard those words. Ino saw this and had to reassure her new best friend that they would play again soon.

"Okay Ino, I will see you soon. Thank you very much Yamanaka-sama for letting me play with your daughter."

Naruto was facing Inoichi with head down in a slight bow. To say the least Inoichi was surprised to see this level of respect from this orphaned boy.

"Please Naruto call me Inoichi."

"Oh okay!"

Naruto struck his classic foxy grin with a hand behind his head for the first time and Ino couldn't help but not how cute he looked.

"Naruto I heard about the fire. I'm very sorry to bring it up but where are you planning on staying?"

Naruto's smile quickly faded. His gaze drifting toward the ground. He had been contemplating the exact same thing sense he got out of the hospital this morning.

"I-I don't Inoichi-sama"

"well we cant have you out here in the cold all night why don't you come eat dinner with us! We are have a few close friends over too. You can meet Shikamaru and Choji and after you can spend the night."

With Naruto's smile quickly reappearing. He happily excepted the offer. The three blondes left the play ground to walk back to the clans district.

 **At the Yamanaka compound, after dinner.**

"Wow Ino, your mom is a great cook! I can only cook ramen."

Naruto and Ino where alone in the living room while Inoichi and his wife did the dishes.

"Yeah she is."

Ino was exhausted had spent the last hour playing with Naruto, Shikamaru, and Choji. The two other boys had to go home so that just left the fellow blondes.

"Ino I have a question."

"What is it Naruto?"

"What do you want to do when you grow up?"

Ino had to think hard about that question but even after a good long moment she couldn't think of anything. Then her thoughts drifted to the a certain Uchiha boy.

"I think I would like to be a Ninja like my dad."

"Really? So do I! We could be on the same team and everything! That would be so cool!"

Naruto was staring off into the distance with glazed over eyes envisioning himself as a 6 foot tall body builder with Ino on his shoulder while he flexed his arms. And at the exact same time with the exact same look, Ino envisioned herself as a 6 foot body builder with Sasuke one her shoulder.

"Time for bed you two."

Inoichi had just stepped into the room with an outstretched hand for Ino. She reluctantly got up and took his hand in her own.

"good Night Naruto, we can play in the morning okay?"

"Good Night Ino."

Naruto felt something inside his stomach that he had never felt before.

'What is this feeling… it feels...warm?'

 **A/N**

That's chapter 2 sorry for the wait again.

I already have an idea for chapter 3 so that will be out in the next couple of days.

So I took a look at my story and how it was doing and people actually favorite and fallow and review my story! That's awesome! I cant thank all of you enough! That means so much to me you guys wont understand unless you wright yourself. So again big thanks to the people who like my garbage enough to stick around!

Leave a review!


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